Removable mounting plate for sissy bar

ABSTRACT

A mounting plate that is secured to a rear fender of a motor cycle to hold a sissy bar. The plate is secured to the rear fender using pre-existing holes in the rear fender. The plate comprises a first curved portion, a second curved portion integral with the first curved portion and located at one end of the plate and defining a plurality of holes therein, and a third curved portion integral with the first curved portion and located at an opposite end of the plate and extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the plate. Attached to the third curved portion is a pair of mounting brackets for retaining the sissy bar.

CROSS REFERENCE TO EARLIER FILED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/096,882, filedJun. 12, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,331, which relies on U.S.Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/063,464 filed Oct. 29, 1997and is further more a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patentapplication Ser. No. 29/084,560, now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 415,980 filedMar. 5, 1998.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to a mounting plate for motorcyclesand, more specifically, to a plate mounted to a rear fender of amotorcycle for receiving a sissy bar with a back support.

Back supports, typically referred to as "sissy bars", are mounted tomotorcycles to provide support for passengers. Current methods ofsecuring sissy bars to a motorcycle require extensive disassembly of thecycle's rear fender and the mounting of side plates. This disassemblytypically involves removing of frame struts, shock absorbers, rear turnsignals and often the rear wheel. Once the mounting components areattached, the components typically remain secured to the rear fender andare not easily removed. If the components are removed, the paint job ofthe cycle is typically impaired due to chipped paint from contact of thesissy bar side plates with the cycle resulting in a visually unpleasantappearance. For collectors of motorcycles which show or display theircycles, such visual flaws are unacceptable.

Furthermore, once the typical alterations for mounting a traditionalsissy bar side plate system are completed, extensive assembly anddisassembly is required each time the sissy bar is mounted or removed,respectively. Also, most mounting units have multiple parts andcomponents which can be easily lost when the unit is removed forstorage.

Therefore, what is needed is a single mounting plate that can be easilysecured to the rear fender of a motorcycle to hold a sissy bar and forwhich removal will not result in an aesthetically unpleasant appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, accordingly, provides a mounting plate that issecured to a rear fender of a motorcycle to hold a sissy bar. The plateis secured to the rear fender by screws engaged into pre-existing holesin the rear fender. Additionally, the plate is relatively hidden toavoid aesthetically unpleasant appearances. To this end, the plate,having a fender side and a seat side for mounting onto a rear fender ofa motorcycle and for receiving a pair of arms of a sissy bar, comprisesa first curved portion; a second curved portion integral with the firstcurved portion and located at one end of the plate and defining aplurality of holes therein; and a third curved portion integral with thefirst curved portion and located at the opposite end of the plate andextending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the plate and defininga support bracket for retaining the arms of the sissy bar.

An advantage of the present invention is that it allows the user tomount a single component, the plate, onto the rear fender withoutdisassembly of the rear fender. Furthermore, the plate fits under theseat and, thus, is relatively hidden from view so that when the sissybar is removed, the plate will not detract from the aesthetic appeal ofthe motorcycle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a motorcycle with theseat in cut-away to show a mounting plate, in accordance with thepresent invention, installed on the rear fender of the motorcycle.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the plate and sissy bar shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the plate of FIG. 1.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a motorcycle, generally designated 10, is shownwith a passenger back support 12, commonly referred to as a "sissy bar",having two downwardly extending mounting arms 12a and an attachedforwardly facing (relative to the direction of the motorcycle 10) pad14. The back support 12 is attached to the motorcycle 10 by engaging thearms 12a to a mounting plate 16 secured on top of a rear fender 18 ofthe motorcycle 10 and beneath a seat 20. The pad 14 is designed to fitthe small of the back of a passenger on the motorcycle 10 to providesupport during riding.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the plate 16 is made of a rigidmaterial, such as steel, to have sufficient structural strength tosupport the force created by the passenger on the pad 14. The plate 16comprises three curved regions, 24, 26 and 28, each shaped to correspondto the curvature of the rear fender 18. More particularly, the curvedregion 24 is concave with respect to a fender side of the plate 16 andconvex with respect to a seat side of the plate 16. Furthermore, curvedregion 26 disposed at the proximal end of the plate 16 conforms to theshape of the rear fender 18 in a direction transverse the axis of thecurved region 24. Likewise, the curved region 28 disposed at the distalend of the plate 16 under the back support 12 conforms to the shape ofthe rear fender 18 in a direction parallel to the curved region 26. Thecurved regions 24, 26 and 28 of the plate 16 generally form an I-shapedmember and can be formed from a single piece of material, or can beseparately formed and then welding together by known techniques to forman integral piece.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plate 16 has a plurality of holes 30 located atopposite ends of the plate 16 in or near the curved regions 26 and 28.To accommodate the variety of rear fender designs, the holes 30 arelocated in predetermined positions to matingly correspond to variouspre-existing holes (not shown) found in various rear fender designs,especially the rear fender designs of Harley Davidson® motorcycles. Forcertain motorcycles, an additional hole in the fender might be requiredfor securing the plate 16. Accordingly, installing the plate 16 will nottypically require altering the rear fender 18 or drilling new holes inthe rear fender 18. Thus, the plate 16 can be secured to a variety ofrear fender designs, such as the rear fender 18, without damaging therear fender 18, by employing screw and washer sets 22 (FIG. 1), or otherknown connectors, through the holes 30 aligned with the pre-existingholes in the rear fender 18. It should be understood that not all of theholes 30 will be used for any particular motorcycle 10, but only thosecorresponding to the pre-existing holes in the rear fender of suchmotorcycle. A protective spacer 32 made of a soft and compressiblepolymer compound is preferably secured to the fender side of the plate16 having corresponding holes to the holes 30 to ensure a flushconnection of the plate 16 to the rear fender 18.

Extending upwardly from the curved region 28 of the plate 16 in asubstantially vertical position are a pair of sidewalls 34 integrallyformed with or fixedly joined to the plate 16. A hollow mounting sleeve36 is secured in a conventional manner to each of the sidewalls 34 anddisposed for receiving the arms 12a of the back support 12. The arms12a, the sidewalls 34, and the sleeves 36 each have a pair of alignedholes 38 for receiving screws 40 (FIG. 1) to fixedly secure the arms 12ato the sleeves 36, and thus to the plate 16. The screws 40 can bedesigned to required a special tool for removal, thereby deterring theftof the back support 12.

It is understood that several modifications, changes and substitutionsare intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances somefeatures of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use ofother features. For example, various types of compressible foam can beutilized for the protective spacer 32, or it may be eliminated in itsentirety. Furthermore, the thickness and material of the plate 16 can bevaried so long as sufficient structural strength is maintained. Also,the location of the holes 30 can be changed to align with pre-existingholes of other rear fender designs. Accordingly, it is appropriate thatthe appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent withthe scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for installing a back support to amotorcycle comprising:removing a seat of the motorcycle to expose acurved rear fender of the motorcycle, the curved rear fender having atleast one predrilled hole; aligning a plate over the curved rear fender,the plate comprising a longitudinally curved member and two orthogonalexternal mounting brackets attached near an end of the longitudinallycurved member, wherein the plate has a plurality of holes such that atleast one of the holes of the plate aligns with the at least onepredrilled hole of the curved rear fender; removably securing the plateto the curved rear fender; inserting a back support into the twoorthogonal external mounting brackets; and replacing the seat of themotorcycle, such that the plate is covered by the seat except for thetwo orthogonal external mounting brackets attached near the end of thelongitudinally curved member.
 2. A method of attaching to a motorcycle amounting plate for a passenger back support, the motorcycle having arear fender and a seat, the rear fender having a top side, a bottomside, a distal end and a proximal end, the method comprising:aligning amounting plate to the rear fender, the mounting plate having a fenderside and a seat side and a distal end and a proximal end, the distal endof the mounting plate defining a support bracket for a passenger backsupport, by placing the fender side of the mounting plate in continuousphysical contact with the top side of the rear fender, so that alongitudinal axis of the mounting plate is oriented parallel to alongitudinal axis of the rear fender, and so that the support bracket ofthe mounting plate is located adjacent the distal end of the rearfender; securing the mounting plate to the rear fender in the alignedorientation by engaging connectors; and placing the seat over themounting plate and securing the seat to the motorcycle.
 3. The method asrecited in claim 2 further comprising removably securing a passengerback support to the support bracket of the mounting plate.
 4. The methodas recited in claim 2 further comprising inserting a protective spaceraligned between and in continuous physical contact with the fender sideof the mounting plate and the top side of the rear fender.
 5. A methodof attaching to a motorcycle a mounting plate for a passenger backsupport, the motorcycle having a rear fender and a seat, the rear fenderhaving a top side and a bottom side, and the rear fender defining atleast one pre-existing hole, the method comprising:aligning a mountingplate to the rear fender, the mounting plate having a fender side and aseat side and a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end defining asupport bracket for a passenger back support, and the proximal enddefining at least one pre-existing hole, by placing the mounting plateso that the pre-existing hole of the mounting plate is aligned with thepre-existing hole of the rear fender, and so that the fender side of themounting plate is in continuous physical contact with the top side ofthe rear fender; engaging a screw to attach the mounting plate to therear fender through the pre-existing holes while maintaining thealignment of the mounting plate and the rear fender; and placing theseat over the mounting plate and securing the seat to the motorcycle. 6.The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising removably securing apassenger back support to the support bracket of the mounting plate. 7.The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising inserting aprotective spacer aligned between and in continuous physical contactwith the fender side of the mounting plate and the top side of the rearfender.
 8. A method of using a removable passenger back support for amotorcycle having a rear fender and a seat, the rear fender having a topside and a bottom side, and the rear fender defining at least onepre-existing hole, the method comprising:installing a mounting plate tothe rear fender, the mounting plate having a fender side and a seat sideand a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end defining a supportbracket for a passenger back support, and the proximal end defining aplurality of pre-existing holes, by placing the mounting plate so thatone of the pre-existing holes of the mounting plate is aligned with thepre-existing hole of the rear fender, and so that the fender side of themounting plate is in continuous physical contact with the top side ofthe rear fender; creating an additional hole in the fender, the holebeing located to be aligned with another of the plurality ofpre-existing holes of the mounting plate; engaging a plurality of screwsthrough the pre-existing holes to attach the mounting plate to the rearfender while maintaining the alignment of the mounting plate and therear fender; placing the seat over the mounting plate and securing theseat to the motorcycle; and removably attaching the passenger backsupport to the support bracket of the mounting plate.